Today I have a review for Victoria J Brown’s book Losing Myself. Losing Myself is the sequel to Holding Myself.

Blurb…

Since Kat made her decision, everything around her seems to be falling apart. Not only is she dealing with family’s secrets, lies and deceit but the salon, which is opening around the corner, threatens her livelihood.

To make matters worse her relationship with Max is on the rocks. Although her relationships with Max’s mother, her step-mother and her sister have grown stronger, are they strong enough?

Working tirelessly to save her salon and save her relationship with Max, she is battling everyday to stay focused on her future. But what will the future bring?

Review…

After reading the first book which I enjoyed (you can see my review here) I was really looking forward to see how Kat’s story progressed.

All the way through I felt so sorry for her, everything that could go wrong did go wrong.

I really felt like I could relate to her, more often in life we have more town’s than It’s and this was a more realistic story to follow. There was no Knight on a white horse ending, it just simply was as it is.

We saw Kat develop into a more rounded person and come to terms with loss of not just her business, her friend and her partner but of the single person without children. Kat took on the new roles in her life with dignity and grace despite been utterly heartbroken.

We see her sister go through turmoil and I would personally love to have a story which focused around that and her as a main character, perhaps a novella. It was be such a good read. Kat struggles to make sense of the world in which her sister is lost too but does what she feels she can all the way through.

I really enjoyed this and it is far from some soppy romance. It’s realistic and shows that despite going through the worst of times we can all come out on top.

I would rate this book 4/5. Brown’s writing style flows perfectly and interest in the page never wavers.

Today I have a review of the book The Path Keeper by N.J Simmonds. This is a YA book aimed at the older readers as there is some mature content contained.

The Blurb…

What if every coincidence was a tiny miracle? What if our life was already mapped out before birth? What if someone had the power to change the path we were destined to follow?

Ella hates her new life in London, she misses Spain and she’s struggling to get over her past until she meets Zac. He has always loved her but he isn’t meant to be part of Ella’s story. Not this time. Not ever. Little does she know that his secret is the one thing that will tear them apart and will force her to live in a world that no longer makes sense, a world more dangerous than she could ever imagine.

The first in a thrilling new YA fantasy series, The Path Keeper is a tale of passion and secrets, of first loves and second chances, and the invisible threads that bind us. Can love ever be stronger than fate?

The Review…

I first heard of this book via the Facebook group The Fiction Cafe, a few people had read it and the author was also a member. After hearing so many things about it I decided to pick myself up a copy. The YA genre suited my usual preferred style so I was intrigued. I enjoy reading novels by lesser known author’s as there are some hidden gems among them and this was most definitely one of them.

The opening chapter had me hooked, it was full of intrigue and mystery and really made me want to read on to find out more about the characters. Ella is a spunky character who doesn’t fit into the world she has been thrown and has some issues regarding her family situation. As we learn more about her through the book we see different aspects of her personality and gain insight and rationale into her thinking.

Zac is lovable right from the start. You can see him wrestling with his internal demons to try and figure out where he belongs and the fight he has with his heart every step of the way.

During the course of the story, you learn more about Ella’s family with will leave you loving and loathing different people.

There are flashbacks to different era’s throughout the book and these play an important role in the story which doesn’t become apparent until later in the story and it all fits together beautifully.

Natali has written a beautiful book that while focuses on romance and love is far from your standard and traditional read. Anyone who loves Romance, YA, Fantasy I would urge you to read this book. I am desperate to read the next in the series which will be out in Feb 2018. I would rate this book 5 out of 5.

It will have you questioning what you think you know about angels, heaven and how fate and destiny play a part in our lives.

Today I bring you a review for the monthly TSG bookclub book, Wintersong by S Jae-Jones.

Blerb…

Beware the goblin men and the wares they sell.

All her life, nineteen-year-old Liesl has heard tales of the beautiful, mysterious Goblin King. He is the Lord of Mischief, the Ruler Underground, and the muse around which her music is composed. Yet, as Liesl helps shoulder the burden of running her family’s inn, her dreams of composition and childish fancies about the Goblin King must be set aside in favor of more practical concerns.
But when her sister Käthe is taken by the goblins, Liesl journeys to their realm to rescue her sister and return her to the world above. The Goblin King agrees to let Käthe go—for a price. The life of a maiden must be given to the land, in accordance with the old laws. A life for a life, he says. Without sacrifice, nothing good can grow. Without death, there can be no rebirth. In exchange for her sister’s freedom, Liesl offers her hand in marriage to the Goblin King. He accepts.
Down in the Underground, Liesl discovers that the Goblin King still inspires her—musically, physically, emotionally. Yet even as her talent blossoms, Liesl’s life is slowly fading away, the price she paid for becoming the Goblin King’s bride. As the two of them grow closer, they must learn just what it is they are each willing to sacrifice: her life, her music, or the end of the world.

Review…

Well let me just start with. I love this book!

I was so unsure of using this book for the bookclub as the synopsis read a little like the story of Labyrinth and I know that for many it is a love hate situation with it. I however, love Labyrinth and I have never read a book about Goblins so I just had to take the risk and I’m so glad I did.

The story focuses on Liesl (Elisabeth) and her sister Käthe. It took me a good chapter or two to get use to the setting in another country and the whole musical atmosphere but I soon found my step with it.

I really liked Liesl as a character, she didn’t come across as anything other than what she was.

I really felt for the Goblin King, it was clear he was only doing what was necessary for everyone’s survival including the world above.

The ending was so sad, I really hoped they would find a way to stay together as it was clear they loved each other. I thought that she would die down there if I’m honest so I wasn’t expecting her to end up free.

I also think the first bride that has managed to leave was Liesl’s grandmother Constanze.

I felt such affinity to this book I truly loved it and was so sad when it was over. I enjoyed it so much more than I had expected and I will definitely read this again and again for the sheer magic of it.

If you have read Wintersong I would love to know your thoughts on it, did you enjoy it as much as I did?

On the evening of Sofia Claremont’s seventeenth birthday, she is sucked into a nightmare from which she cannot wake. A quiet evening walk along a beach brings her face to face with a dangerous pale creature that craves much more than her blood. She is kidnapped to The Shade, an island where the sun is eternally forbidden to shine. An island uncharted by any map and ruled by the most powerful vampire coven on the planet. She wakes here as a slave, a captive in chains. Sofia’s life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn when she is selected out of hundreds of girls to take up residence in the tree-top harem of Derek Novak, the dark royal prince. Despite his addiction to power and obsessive thirst for her blood, Sofia soon realizes that the safest place on the island is within his quarters, and she must do all within her power to win him over if she is to survive even one more night. Will she succeed? Or is she destined to the same fate that all other girls have met at the hands of the Novaks?

Taken from Amazon

Review:

I picked this up to read without actually knowing much about it beforehand. I was stuck in hospital and for some reason has this as a freebie on my kindle. I actually read the whole thing within a couple of hours. I was addicted, it was such a great story and I didn’t want it to end. If it wasn’t for the fact I have other book commitments I would have read even more of them by now as there are plenty to keep me going.

Sofia is a character that is likeable from the get go and she is thrust into a situation that she does her best to deal with. Derek wakes to find everything around him has changed, he is fascinated with Sofia and does everything he can to protect her, including the risk of letting her leave.

Sofia and Derek clearly have feelings for one another but their previous lives play too much into how the path unfolds. I am impatiently waiting the time to read the 2nd book of this story, I need to know what happens with them.

The story contains everything that a fantasy lover will enjoy, it has romance, thrills, evil characters and a story unkown of deep levels. I would highly recommend this to anyone who loves a good Vampire fantasy 🙂

What would you do if you knew the person you’d fallen for could endanger your life? A quiet, uneventful summer filled with supernatural combat training is what I expected when my mother dropped me off in the quiet city of Rome, Georgia. What I found was an adventure, unexpected dangers, and the one thing I swore off after my ex shattered my heart—love. Intercrossed is a young adult shifter novel filled with adventure, thrill, twists, and curves that’ll grip you till the last page.

Review

I really enjoyed this book. It didn’t take me long to get through because I couldn’t put it down. I really like Maryelle, she was a great lead character. Reading how she progresses through the book and her interactions with those around her made me like her more. The developing romance was not to cheesy either which was nice to see. I really hope there will be a continuation with this story as I would love to see what happens with Maryelle and Phantom.

This novel follows on from Me Before You and highlights the struggle that Louisa has trying to find a place in the world without Will.

It feels like the more she feels she is letting him down and not honouring her promise to him the more she in turn lets him down.

Louisa is reckless with her life and while not intentionally trying to kill herself she dances on the brink. Doing things which are dangerous without thinking of the consequences. This is until she falls from her building and could easily have died.

The accident forces Louisa to face some of her problems head on when she has to return home to recover from the accident.

When she returns back to her own flat it is only done by promising her father she would attend grief counselling.

Louisa attends and at first doesn’t open up, she feels like a fraud, like she doesn’t belong. Over time however the group she meets actually turn out to be great friends.

Louisa’s life however takes the most poignant turn when a girl turns up at her door only 16 yrs old, a girl that as it turns out is Wills daughter. A daughter he knew nothing about.

Lily, Wills daughter is actually very much off the rails. Causing trouble, drinking, stealing, smoking and has little respect for anyone. Her mother is a selfish woman who doesn’t seem to give two hoots about Lily, and as you find out over the course of the book everyone who has ever meant something to her has turned her away for other family or commitments. This is why Lily is the way she is, she is defensive and while she is crying out for affection she sabotages herself often.

Eventually after Louisa’s jewellery goes missing she kicks Lily out, telling her to go back to her mothers and believes she has. After a few days, Louisa goes to visit Lily to make up after discovering a tranquil garden Lily had set up. However upon arrival at Lilys home her mother tells her Lily hasn’t been there and assumed she was still with Louisa. The mother doesn’t care that Lily is missing because she has disappeared before however Louisa feels something is wrong and searches with Sam (the ambulance man who saved her) to find Lily.

Eventually they find Lily in a hospital not badly hurt. Lily then tells Louisa what’s been happening.

Initially Lilly had been getting blackmailed by a boy she slept with as he had a picture of them together. After she’d had enoug she told a collegue of her step dads who manage to stop the boy balckmailing her only to start blackmailing her himself.

Louisa and Sam hatch a plan to stop the blackmailer which works successfully. After this Lily has the confidence to start building a relationship with her grandmother and eventually goes to live with her at weekends and goes back to boarding school during the week.

Louisa’s love life takes a dramatic turn when Sam tries to talk to her about being in a relationship, but Louisa is afraid of getting hurt after Will and doesn’t open up which causes Sam to call time their time todays. Louisa tries to talk to Sam and ends up riding in the ambulance with him which ends up in a bad situation and Sam gets shot almost dying.

Louisa tells Sam then that she doesn’t want to loose him, she also receives a job offer in New York that she turnes down a few months previous.

After talking to Sam she takes the job and they agree to make it work long distance.

The story ends with Louisa boarding the plane after mouthing to Sam she loves him.

Review:

The soppy woman in me really enjoyed this book and I felt I could relate a lot to Louisa and Lily. Both of them have had a difficult time and although try to do their best ultimately they are about self preservation.

I really likes the introduction of the new characters with Sam and Lily particularly and the change to the older character such as Mrs Traynor.

It showed the impact that losing Will had on everyone’s, something I don’t think he really considered in the first book.

I finished the book hoping for another in the series. I want to read about Louisa’s life in New York and her relationship with Sam.

Overall it was a great read even if it did lack the same impact of the first book:)

Wow! August already, who can believe it. This year is flying by isn’t it.

July has been the oddest month for me and my little life.

So if you’ve read my last 6 Months update you will know I got a part time job, a job which I lost yesterday due to Childcare conflicts. I’m a bit gutted about the money but glad to have Saturdays with the family back.

I am still volunteering at Gisborough Priory and love it.

Now for the exciting parts. I launched a new business selling a book subscription box. This isn’t just a box you get in the post, it’s also membership into a bookclub.

We have discussions about books, competitions, Subscriber Houses, giveaways and so much more. Every box is personalised too.

I’ve set up a Goodreads, Instagram and Facebook group for it and so far it’s doing brilliantly. I sold all the boxes in the first few days.

Secondly I was contacted by Future House Publishing who have asked me to join there Alpha Reader Reviewer team. Which I accepted! Who doesn’t want to recieve ARC and books to review free! I love love love doing this.

Thirdly I was contacted by Rebecca From Dodopad who told me Steve Morton from Philofaxy had recommended me as an influential blogger in the plannersphere and asked if I would like to receive the new Dodopad Block Paper pads to review.

I jumped at the chance. I’ve always liked Dodopad and I’m excited to see how there notepaper compares to others.

I received the items on Friday and conducted experiments yesterday so that review post will be up later this week.

So my main focuses going forward are my blog, business and reviewing. I aim to improve my writing and posts and hopefully can make that all take off so I can earn a little money from it while trying to figure out working and childcare.

Now I have my Saturdays back I can finally get around to finishing the unpacking and sorting the bedroom out, rearranging the girls bedroom ready for the toddler bed, set my desk up for work and sort out a reading corner.

I’m really happy going forward, I feel full of new possibilities. My focus is where I feel it needs to be.

Today’s post is the Truth About Pregnancy.
In my last Truth About post I discussed what conception was like from my perspective and now I will take it to the next stage, pregnancy.

For many women pregnancy is wonderous, it makes them glow and they love every single second of it. For others like me it is horrendous, with one problem after another from very early on.

I have always been able to tell I am pregnant within the first few weeks, mostly because from around 4 weeks gone I am horrendously ill. I don’t know why they refer to it as morning sickness because it usually occurs morning, noon and night.

With my first born I was so ill I spent most of the first 7 months in and out of hospital on a drip because I couldn’t eat or drink a thing. I remember just sleeping the days away hoping it would end.

Every little smell set me off been violently ill, some smells I still cannot be around or it invokes that nauseous feeling again.

I dreaded following pregnancies for this exact reason. With my 2nd child morning sickness only lasted around 4 months and it was 6 months with my last child, luckily I didn’t need to be hospitalised for it much with the last two.

Even when the sickness starts to wear off things didn’t get much better. Then comes the awful heartburn that just will not let up despite drinking pints of antacid, then there is the spd…Oh spd is great. I mean having your partner having to dress you be cause you’re in agony is so dignified.

You’re massive, can’t see your feet, wearing a brace to keep your pelvis in place and need to walk with a crutch. Marvellous!

Don’t get me wrong, being pregnant is amazing. Afterall you are growing another human, it is bound to effect you in so many ways.

I just wish that people would be more open about the issues thar can come with it. The sickness, the spd, the constant thrush, the piles, having a cold and not been able to even have a lemsip.

Too many times I see pregnancy glossed over, talk of wonderful hair, glowing skin, no weight gain except a tiny perfect bump. The realities for most of us are very different.

I love my children with all my heart and I have struggled to give them life, not just with the pain of labour but the pain of pregnancy.

I’ve earned that spot in their home when I’m old and decrepit!

I was the perfect image of a pale skinned, greasy haired, overly massive pregnant woman wearing a brace, crutches and looking stressed 🙂

Thank you for reading another BHC and please get in touch at BH_Confessions@yahoo.com if you’d like to discuss any topics.